The present invention relates to a disposable inhaler, particularly for administering powder by inhalation.
Previously, as described in WO93/17728 and illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, there was known a disposable inhaler constructed from two parts 1 and 2. The lower part 2 includes a recesses 3 in which a dose of powder is stored and the two parts together define a channel through which a stream of air may be drawn by a user from an air inlet 4 to a mouthpiece 5. A tape 6 is provided to cover the recesses 3 and is additionally bent around the outside of the part 2 to cover an aperture 8 in the bottom of the recess 3. In use, the tape 6 is pulled away from the lower part 2 so as to expose both the aperture 8 and the recess 3. Projections 7 are provided to keep the loose tape out of the way of the air flow and a depression 9 directs the air flow to pick up the powder in the recess 3 more effectively. The channel defined by parts 1 and 2 also includes a deagglomeration section 10 having a section inlet 11, a section outlet 12 and a divider 13. The divider 13 splits the stream of air into two flow paths and powder is caused to impact on internal surfaces. In this way, powder is effectively deagglomerated.
In use, a patient inhales through the mouthpiece 5 causing an air stream to pick up the powder stored in recess 3. As the air/powder mixture flows through the inhaler, powder is deagglomerated then passes out of the mouthpiece 5 and into the lungs of the patient.